Community water drive for Flint, Michigan residents

Community water drive for Flint, Michigan residents

Sorority, entertainment group organizing collection effort

ralphhardin@gmail.com The West Memphis Area Alumnae Chapter (WMAAC) of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., is collaborating with Conscious Minds Entertainment. Together, the organizations are sponsoring a water collection drive to help support the Flint Michigan Water Crisis. In January, Michigan residents put out a call for water donations for the city of Flint. Conscious Minds and WMAAC have pledged to donate 40,000 bottles of water, and they are challenging the community. The challenge is to match that donation to reach an overall goal of 80,000 bottles of water to send to the people of Flint.

In April 2014, after Flint changed its water source from treated Detroit Water and Sewage Department water to the Flint River, city’s drinking water has had a series of problems, including lead contamination, creating a serious public health danger. Between 6,000 and 12,000 children have been exposed to drinking water with high levels of lead a range of serious health problems has been reported, including a possible outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in the county that has killed 10 people and affected another 77.

On Jan. 5, 2016, the city was declared to be in a state of emergency by the Governor of Michigan, Rick Snyder, before President Barack Obama declared the situation a federal state of emergency.

WMAAC will be collecting cases of water on March 17, from 5 to 7 p.m., at The Good Lyfe, located at 1014 East Broadway, in West Memphis.

“Any donation of water is greatly appreciated,” said Tracye LaBattes Parker, West Memphis Area Alumnae President. “The Alumnae and Conscious Minds encourage the entire community to support this relief effort.”

For more information, contact Tracye LaBattes Parker at (901) 628-1822.

By Ralph Hardin